The potential danger of termite infestation in the house or indeed in the property should not be underestimated by homeowners. These insects are secretive to enter and to damage the buildings and yards slowly, but securely piece by piece. They are feeding on all sorts of wooden material and are very difficult, if not impossible to notice until it is usually too late and sufficient damage has been caused. It is estimated that one in every five home is infested by termites every year in areas with optimal climate conditions that allow for their spread.

Further more, the damage on wooden structures caused by the insects was calculated to reach millions of dollars in communities experiencing heavy termite infestations in their homes. There are a few important things you need to know about termites and the most appropriate termite eradication methods in order to be protect your home and remove the insects in case of an infestation.

Given the statistics mentioned above, there is always an existing probability that your home might become attacked by termites. Homeowners living in warm and humid areas and those having yards with plentiful vegetation are more than likely to have problems with colonies moving into their property. The best way to protect your home is to perform a preliminary inspection of the property as soon as you have bought it or as quickly as possible if you have lived in that place for a while. Professional insect inspectors will perform a thorough check, the results of which will be presented in a written expert report.

The inspection is necessary because usually the colony is very mysterious. The tunnels are inside the ground and structures in the building and the insects are eating the wood from within making it completely hollow without it showing on the surface. Thus, an untrained person is not likely to notice the infestation and damages quickly enough to react. If the inspection has determined the presence of the colony you will be presented with the most appropriate termite eradication methods for your property. It is important that you should not attempt any action against the colony in case you have noticed their presence yourself.

The most well known method for termite eradication is the injection of a specifically designed pesticide (termiticides) in the nest of the colony. This should be performed by a professional (usually the termite inspection company will offer the appropriate services) and some drilling and digging is most likely to be required. The liquid solution is not going to have an immediate effect. The termites will be infected as soon as they are in direct contact with the pesticides and those affected are going to spread it throughout all the tunnels of the colony to all its corners before they actually die.

The slower action allows for complete results for the eradication of the entire colony. Despite this, the method tends to be fairly quick. It is also relatively inexpensive, which makes it popular with most homeowners who have problem with these insects. There are several termite removal pesticides approved by the respective health and other authorities. They present the least danger to the surrounding environment as well as to humans and other animals. However, the chemicals contained in the solutions might affect people or mammals especially in the case of a direct contact, which makes them hazardous to use if small children and pets are present.

The second most popular method for termite eradication is the bait system. Capsules filled with a specific ingredient are placed in centers critical for the colony, which is again done by a professional to ensure optimal results. The termites feed on the ingredient, which does not kill them, but does not allow the small ones to develop to a full grown size when they start to feed on wood. In this way the colony is slowly destroyed to eventually die out.

The problem with this method is that it is more expensive and slow to act. Moreover, there is no certainty that the colony will be fully eradicated. The main advantage of these systems is that they provide a convenient and reliable way of detecting and quickly eliminating any future infestations. Do you know what termite insurance is? Want to find out?

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